Contemporary Epistemology and the Study of Mysticism
The Problem of Pure Consciousness March 29, 1990 Donald Rothberg 17 citations
The essay examines how different epistemologies and methodologies shape the study of mysticism, focusing on the limits of constructivism, an approach that emphasizes how mystical experience is shaped by its context—core texts, practices, social relations, and historical traditions. The author argues that while constructivism, as developed in collections edited by Steven T. Katz, clarifies some aspects of mysticism, it obscures others by privileging certain ways of looking. The essay aims to open up questions about where and how scholars investigate mystical traditions, suggesting that reliance on context may limit understanding of phenomena that resist contextual explanation.